Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s comments over incumbent Election Commission (EC) new search committee and EC formation are conflicting with democratic politics and values.
He said this in a statement signed by the party’s Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said Fakhrul commented that a case should be filed against the incumbent EC to bring all concerned to justice on the charge of destroying the election system of Bangladesh.
Describing the comments as purpose-oriented hatred and absurd, he said: “Such comments are conflicting with democratic politics and values.”
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The Awami League general secretary said EC is not only a constitutional institution but also a regulatory body for all political parties and it acts as a referee.
“In games, when any team performs poorly, it blames referee in many cases. BNP’s condition is also apparently the same. It has become their habit to blame the referee after being defeated in game or without contesting it,” he added.
Quader mentioned that If the EC faces any obstacles in discharging its duties in a proper manner due to BNP’s pre-planned conspiracy of making the election questionable through adopting evil strategies, BNP will have to take responsibility.
“I think legal actions should be taken against BNP for making hatred against the EC without showing respect to democratic rules and customs as a registered political party,” he continued.
Quader also said it should be kept in mind that EC represents the state in accordance with the law.
“Bangladesh’s constitution, the supreme law of the country, recognizes EC as an independent institution. Every single decision of the commission is a state-based decision.”
Therefore, such disrespectful behavior towards the EC is conflicting with the country’s constitution, he observed.
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The Awami League leader further said anyone can get annoyed against any institution but there is a proper system to express annoyance.
He added that BNP didn’t go through the proper path to express annoyance rather they made such hatred against a constitutional institution which is an attack on the foundation of the state, society as well as democratic politics.
The provision of establishing an independent EC was added in the constitution of 1972, said the minister.
Quader said: “During the period, many countries in the world used to keep the authority of conducting the election process under the executive branch but the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave the supreme power of conducting election to an independent and neutral EC.”
However, after the assassination of Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975, killers Mostaq-Zia's clique ruined the EC after grabbing state power, he added.
The ruling party chief then said autocratic ruler Ziaur Rahman arranged “yes or no” voting system on May 30, 1977, with a view to legitimate his grabbing of state power.
“Zia gave the worst farcical shape to the election system by making all arrangements of casting ‘yes’ vote only in favour of him. Autocrat Ershad and Khaleda Zia also followed the footprints of Zia,” he mentioned.
